The present disclosure relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybrid Miscanthus originated as a cross from Miscanthus sacchariflorus (♀, 4n) and M. sinensis (♂, 2n) plants, and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘MBS 7003’. ‘MBS 7003’ represents a new cultivar of Miscanthus species, a perennial grass which is grown for biomass production, building materials, livestock bedding, landscape use and ornamental value.
The new cultivar MBS 7003 is a fertile M.×giganteus (4×) plant. It is unique to other M.×gigateus cultivars in that in can be propagated by rhizomes, stem, and from seed if pollinated with a different compatible genotype. Details describing its phenotypic and performance identity are indicated herein.
The invention described in this application was derived through the process of botanical plant breeding techniques, phenotypic and genotypic identification, and stability of performance compared to other M.×giganteus type cultivars. Initial breeding work was done at Klein Wanzleben, Germany utilizing the greenhouse for crossing and selection, with subsequent field evaluation. Selection on the clonal propagated genotype was made at Klein-Wanzleben. Additional evaluation occurred in the US upon receiving plant material following successful APHIS regulated importation quarantine process.
‘MBS 7003’, also known as ‘Columbia’, was selected for its vigorous growth from a selection field which was established from seedlings. The seedlings were obtained from seeds of a polycross of Miscanthus sacchariflorus (♀, 4n) and M. sinensis plants (♂, 2n). ‘MBS 7003’ was generated by crossing a single large-stemmed M. sacchariflorus genotype from Japan (accession No.: 93M0005064, ploidy: 4×) as a female parent with a population of 15 M. sinensis plants a pollen donors (accession Nos.: 93m0146002, 92M0179020, 92M1079017, 93M0147009, 92M0179016, 93m0146012, 93M0144001, 93m0146017, 92m0086, 92m0179015, 93m0146001, 93M0084, 93m0006005, 93M0006003, and 93m0007212; ploidy: 2×). From this cross, 158 seedlings were obtained and planted in a field. Based on field observations, a tetraploid variety having high biomass was selected and designated as ‘MBS 7003’.
The commercial comparison to ‘MBS 7003’ is M.×giganteus cv. ‘Illinois’. ‘Illinois’ was derived from a similar interspecific cross using different parental genotypes between Miscanthus sacchariflorus (4×) and M. sinensis (2×) resulting in a sterile clone plant selection that is available to the public.
‘MBS 7003’ is different from Miscanthus variety ‘MBS 7001’ (‘Nagara’) disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,033. ‘MBS 7003’ of the present application is 100% fertile, and is approximately 95% to 100% self incompatible and 95% to 100% cross compatible. Miscanthus variety ‘MBS 7001’ (‘Nagara’) is approximately 98% to 100% sterile genotype, and is almost completely self and cross incompatible. Therefore, ‘MBS 7001’ rarely produces seed. In contrast, ‘MBS 7003’ produces significantly higher amounts of seed.
Fertile ‘MBS 7003’ is different from the commercially available M.×giganteus cv. ‘Illinois’ is considered to be a 100% sterile genotype, that is, ‘Illinois’ is completely self- and cross-incompatible.
‘MBS 7003’ is also different from Miscanthus variety ‘MBS 7002’ (‘Lake Erie’) disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,047. ‘MBS 7003’ is shorter in plant height both during the growing season and at seasonal maturity than ‘MBS 7002’.
‘MBS 7003’ is a cross compatible sibling of the Miscanthus variety ‘MBS 1001’ disclosed in the co-pending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/067,964. ‘MBS 7003’ is different from ‘MBS 1001’ in that ‘MBS 7003’ has greater vegetative transplanting vigor, and is significantly shorter than ‘MBS 1001’.
‘MBS 7003’ is also different from Miscanthus variety ‘MBS 1002’ (‘MDL 1002’) disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,127. ‘MBS 1002’ is taller, is later flowering and matures later than ‘MBS 7003’. ‘MBS 1002’ has higher seedling vigor than ‘MBS 7003’ upon transplanting, and during spring greenup MBS 1002 has slightly better cold tolerance than ‘MBS 7003’.
‘MBS 7003’ flowers earlier than ‘MBS 7002’ (see U.S. Pat. No. 22,047), ‘MBS 1001’ (see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/067,964 filed Jul. 12, 2011), and ‘MBS 1002’ (see U.S. Pat. No. 22,127).
‘MBS 7002’, ‘MBS 7003’, and ‘MBS 1002’ are siblings and recombine very well in crossing.
‘MBS 7003’ was established asexually from sterile rhizome buds in Klein-Wanzleben, Germany by the inventor. The shoot material was propagated on rooting media and the rooted plantlets were planted into pots in the greenhouse. The plants were planted into the field after one cold period. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.